Process and apparatus for converting oils



March 7, 1933.

G. EGLOFF 1,900,170

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING OILS Original Filed Oct. 31, 1921 Patented in. 3193soutrun stares PATENT QFFECE GUSEAV EGLQFF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL OIL PRODUOIE ooarran'v, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATIGN'QE SOUTH DAKOTA PROCESfi AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING OILS Application flied Gctober 31,, 1821, Serial No. 511,718. I Renewed Tune 9, 19%

into the heating coils 22 mounted. in the fur- I This invention relates to a process and apparatus for the conversion of hydrocarbon oils and refers more particularly to a process.

in Which the oil is treated in successive stages to relieve therefrom the low boiling point oils such as gasoline and the like.

Among the salient objects of the invention are to provide a process in Which the oil is permitted to vaporize after being raised to a cracking temperature in the heating zone under a substantial pressure, the vaporized products being condensed and the unvaporized products assed to a second heating zone and there subgected to diherential conditions of temperature and pressure-to further crack the oil; to provide a process in which the reflux condensate or oil niore dihicult to craclr than the original oil charge is subjected to pressure and temperature conditions which produce the cracking of this more refractory oil; to provide an improved type of appareltus for carrying out the process t The single figure is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the apparatus Referring indetail to the drawing, the oil to he treated is introduced from any convenient source through the inlet ipe 1, controlled by a valve 2 and charged y meansof a pump 3 to the heating coil 4 mounted in a furnace 5, which is preferably heated by means of gas burners 6. These heating means may comprise either a continuous tube, a header type tubular construction or a shell type of still. The oil, alter being'raised to a cracking temperature under a substantial pressure, passes through the line 7 regulated by a valve 8 to the vaporizing chamber 9 from which the generated vapors rise into the dephleginating column 10 and thence pass over through the line 11, controlled by the valve 12 to the Water condenser 13, the condensed product being collected in the receiver 1 1: from which it may be drawn 0E through the valve 15. The pressure. on this initial stage of the system is controlled to a great.

extent by the valve 17. A valve 18 is interposedin the line 19 between the Water condenser and receiver. The unvaporized oil in the chamber 9 is directed through theclravvat line 20 regulated by a valve 21, passing nace 23. A suitable pump is inserted in the draw-0E line 20. The oil in this secondary zone is subjected to temperatures and pres= sures adapted to crack the oils and raise the p more refractory oils to a conversion temperature.

The oils treated in the secondary zone pass through the line 2% to the va orizing or reacting chamber 25 Where additional cracking takes place, The vapors generatedin this secondary vaporizing zone are dephleg mated in the refluxing column 26, and pass over through. the line 27 to the Water con denser 28 and thence to the receiver 29 to the line 30 controlled by a valve 31; The distillate from the secondary receiver 29 may be drawn ofi through the valve 32 and the res sure on the secondary system regulate by the valve 33 in the top of the receiver. The reflux separated out in the secondary reflux ill ing column 26 may be returned through the line 34 controlled in a valve 35 and intro duced to the trans or line 2@ hetvveen the vaporizing chamber 9 and the secondary heating tubes 21.. in this manner, the reflux condensates from the dephleguiators 2? a and 10 which. are more diiiicult to crack than the original oil char e are returned and introduced to the secon ary heating zone Where the are subjected to increased temperature an pressure conditions Thus an increased degree of cracfing is produced from a given quantity of oil and a greater amount of the low boiling point oils are separated from a given oil charge;

An illustrative run on mid-continent as oil of 32 degrees Baurne follows. The 0' is subjected to a cracking temperature ranging from 700 to 9% degrees F. in the initial heating zone. Subsequent to the reaction taking place in the vaporizing chamber 9, a distiil note from the initial vaporizing chamber are passed through the second zone of heating where temperatures in excess of 900 degrees and pressures somewhat higher than in the tions in the two heating and vaporizing zones, the unvaporized products together with the reflux condensates from the two refluxing towers are further converted or cracked in the secondary system and a relatively high grade distillate collected in the receiver 29. I

I claim as my invention:

1. A process of converting'hydrocarbon oils, consisting in passin the oil in a restrict ed stream through an initial heating zone, thence to a vapor chamber while under a substantial pressure, refluxing and condensing the generated vapors; passing the unvaporized products and reflux condensate in a restricted stream through a secondary heating zone to a separate vapor chamber,

and maintaining higher temperature and,

pressure conditions in said secondary heating zone and separate vapor chamber adapted to produce further conversion of the'unvaporized products and reflux condensate, refluxing and condensing the generated vapors from said separate vapor chamber and returning the reflux-condensate to the restricted stream of said secondary heating zone.

2. A process for converting hydrocarbon oils consisting in subjecting the oil in a restricted stream to heat and pressure conditions in an initial zone to produce a cracking reaction, refluxing and condensing the vaporized oil produced from the initial conversion, passing the unvaporized oil together with the reflux condensate from the initial zone in a restricted stream to a secondary heating zone wherein greater temperature and pressure conditions are maintained than in the initial zone to produce further conversion of the oil, causing the oil heated in the secondary zone to pass through vaporizing, dephlegmating and condensing stage and returning the reflux condensate from the secondary dephlegmator to the secondary heating zone for retreatment. I

3. lln an apparatus for converting hydrocarbon oils, the combination with means for raising the oil to a cracking temperature while maintaining thereon a substantial pressure, of a vaporizing chamber connected therewith and dephlegmating and condensing means connected to said vapor chamber for condensing the vapors generated in the vaporizing chamber, a secondary heating zone for retreating the unvaporized oils from the initial vapor chamber, a vapor chamber connected with said secondary heating zone,

,dephlegmatinfg and condensing means connected thereto for condensing the vapors generated in the secondary zone, means for directing the reflux condensates from both of naoar/o said dephlegmating means for retreatment in the secondary heating means.

4. A process for cracking hydrocarbon oil comprising subjecting the oil to heat and pressure conditions in an initial zone to produce a cracking reaction, delivering the heated oil to a reaction zone, removing vapors from said reaction zone, subjecting such vapors to dephlegmation, Withdrawing the unvaporized oil constituents from said reaction zone, introducing to said unvaporized oil constituents subsequent to withdrawal from said heating zone, reflux condensate resulting from said dephlegm'ation to dilute such unvaporized oil constituents,.passing the resulting commingled oils to a secondary zone wherein greater temperature and pressure COIldllilOIlS are maintained than in the initial zone to eflect further conversion of the oil,

subjecting vapors evolved from the oil heated in said secondary zone to independent dephlegmation and condensation.

5. A process for cracking hydrocarbon oils reflux condensate to return to said reaction I zone, passing the commingled reflux condensate and unvaporized oil constituents to a secondary heating zone wherein greater temperature and pressure conditions are maintained than in the initial zone to effect further conversion of the oil, and causing the oil heated in said secondary heating zone to pass through independent reaction, dephlegmating, and condensing zones.

6. A process for cracking hydrocarbon oil comprising subjecting the oil to heat and pressure conditions in an initial heating zone to eflect a cracking reaction, delivering the heated oil to a vapor separating'zone wherein a separation of vapors and unvaporized oil takes place, removing vapors from said vapor separating zone and subjecting the same to dephlegmation, withdrawing unvaporized oil constituents from said vapor separating zone, mixing with said unvaporized oil constituents subsequent to withdrawal from said vapor separating zone reflux condensate resulting from said dephlegmation to thereby dilute the unvaporized oil constituents, sub ecting the resultant mixture of withdrawn, unvaporized oil constituents and reflux condensate in a separate heating zone to temperature and pressure conditions capable of effecting a cracking of said mixture, and subjecting the vapors evolved by the cracking of said mixture to independent dephlegmation and condensation.

7. An oil cracking process which comprises heating the oil under superatmospheric pressure in an initial heating zone to a temperature in excess of 700 F., passing the heated oil to an enlarged zone maintained under superatmospheric pressure and wherein a separation of vapors and unvaporized oil 00-.

curs, separately removing said vapors and said nnvaporized oil from said enlarged zone,

increasing the pressure on oil constituents heavier than gasoline removed from said enlarged zone in said vapors and simultaneously increasing the pressure on said unvaporized oil withdrawn from said enlarged zone, 1mparting a cracking heat to said oil constituents heavier than gasoline and to said nnvaporized oil, said cracking heat being higher than the heat imparted to the oil insaid initial heating zone,- passing said oil constituents heavier than gasoline and said nnvaporized oil to a reaction zone under the increased pressure and maintaining the increased pressure therein, removing vapors from said reaction zone and subjecting the same to dephlegmation to condense insufficiently cracked fractions therefrom, returning the condensed insuficiently cracked fractions for retreatment in the process, and condensing the dephi'egnxated vapors as a final product of the process.

GUSTAV EGLGFF. 

